Murim Login - Chapter 216

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 216
The moment I spotted the wyvern circling through the air, only one thought crystallized in my mind.
‘Small.’
From head to tail, its massive body and wings stretched beyond twenty meters, yet it inspired no sense of dread within me.
Perhaps it was because of that creature from three years ago.
‘Have I grown stronger? No, that one was far larger and more formidable.’
That beast had been cloaked entirely in pitch-black darkness. In contrast, the wyvern circling overhead now was bathed in brilliant emerald.
Won Myung-hun at the front announced the creature’s identity with a commanding voice.
“It’s a Green Wyvern! A relatively weak specimen, so everyone stay composed!”
Immediately after, a man in his early thirties drove a tower shield into the ground and bellowed.
“Formation up!”
At the command of Team Leader 1, the Star Guild’s second A-rank Hunter, the tanks surged forward and erected a wall of shields.
“Tae-kyung, watch yourself!”
Lim Hyuk-jun, who had called out in alarm, joined the tank formation with a powerful roar.
Boom! Boom, boom, boom!
First row, then second. Magnificent tower shields layered upon one another, forming a curved defensive barrier.
The mages and healers who had been standing ready began chanting their incantations.
“Wind courses through us. Haste!”
“Strength to shatter stone. Strength!”
“Vitality to weary flesh. Healing!”
Brilliant light scattered like dandelion seeds.
Simultaneously, a system notification chimed.
Ding.
– Your physical abilities have temporarily increased through magical enhancement!
–
[Agility]
has increased by 10!
–
[Strength]
has increased by 10!
– Fatigue has been recovered!
There was good reason why mages and healers were called the iron rice bowls of any team.
The effects of the so-called “drug trio” of buff magic proved far more potent than expected.
‘All B-rank, I’d wager.’
Every hunter present here was talent that would be valued anywhere.
Yet the Green Wyvern circling overhead, watching for an opening, was no trivial opponent either.
After all, it was an A-rank monster.
– Kiiiieeeeek!
With a piercing shriek, the creature’s enormous maw yawned open.
In the next instant, luminous emerald mucus cascaded down like a torrential downpour.
“Poison!”
“Scatter!”
Some took shelter behind the shield wall erected by the tanks, while others hurled themselves toward nearby cover.
I was the latter. The moment I concealed myself behind a boulder the size of a house, a torrent of green liquid engulfed a radius of roughly thirty meters.
Pitter-patter, sizzzzle!
Poison. Acidic poison, to be precise.
The instant it touched the boulder’s surface, countless holes riddled through it, and an indescribable stench assaulted my nostrils.
‘A wyvern is a wyvern, after all.’
A tiger cub is still a tiger.
Though the Green Wyvern was considered a relatively weaker specimen among wyverns, its poison discharge was swift and its acidic potency formidable. Any mid or low-rank hunter would have melted away along with their equipment.
“Team Leader 1. Casualty report.”
“None, sir.”
Most of those gathered here were B-rank hunters.
Even Lim Hyuk-jun, the only apparent weak link, was a veteran with twenty years of experience.
Choi Team Leader’s top-tier equipment compensated for any lacking physical ability, so we suffered no damage whatsoever.
“As it should be.”
Unlike Won Myung-hun, who nodded in satisfaction, the Green Wyvern’s horns had hardened considerably.
– Shrieeeek! Screeeech!
The Green Wyvern, which had been glaring at us with its vertically slit pupils, suddenly folded its wings.
The massive body that had been gliding leisurely through the sky tilted toward the ground and began a steep dive.
Whooooosh!
The sight of the wyvern plummeting from hundreds of meters above evoked the image of a crashing airplane.
The acidic poison could be blocked by shields, but this—this would be fatal upon impact.
Lim Hyuk-jun, gripped by terror at a situation he’d never encountered before, let out a scream.
“Honey! Jin-woo! So-won!”
At this rate, he’d be shouting the names of his distant cousins next.
But unlike Lim Hyuk-jun, the Star Guild members remained composed.
Won Myung-hun even flashed me a grin.
“Tae-kyung, want to see something cool?”
“…Now?”
“Yeah.”
Shouldn’t I be issuing a scatter command instead?
There were still dozens of seconds before impact, yet he was being this composed.
“Watch carefully. It’ll be useful for you.”
Won Myung-hun tossed out those words and reversed his grip on his spear.
“Huff.”
Veins bulged across his taut muscles as an immense surge of power flooded into his spear.
Simultaneously, a faint shimmer of light danced along the spear blade.
Tzzzzz.
It was spear energy—a concentrated manifestation of formidable power, known in modern times as Aura.
– Kyaaaaaaah!
Perhaps sensing that power, the Green Wyvern roared and twisted its body. Directly toward the spot where Won Myung-hun and I stood.
And in the next instant.
Thud, crash!
Won Myung-hun exploded forward with tremendous force. One step, two steps, and on the third.
The Green Wyvern, which had been nothing but a black speck moments before, was now mere meters overhead. Its basketball-sized emerald eyes gleamed brilliantly, and its rough, scale-covered maw gaped wide open.
Just as those razor-sharp fangs descended upon their prey.
“Hah!”
With a powerful shout, light erupted from Won Myung-hun’s grip.
Screeeeeech! Splurt!
An aura-infused spear pierced clean through the Green Wyvern’s throat. Crimson blood and acidic green venom gushed forth like a fountain.
Sizzzzle!
As flesh burned away, its pupils constricted and the massive creature spanning dozens of meters convulsed violently.
– Screeeee! Screeeeeeech!
Crash! Boom-crash!
Boulders and trees—nothing was spared as they shattered and flew in all directions.
The Green Wyvern’s wings trembled and spasmed in agony.
Within mere seconds, its tail—which had been standing rigid—dropped limply to the ground.
– Kyuuuuuh….
With its death cry, the light faded from those once-ferocious eyes.
Immediately after, a system notification chimed, confirming its demise.
Ding.
–
[Lv.97 Green Wyvern]
has been defeated!
– You contributed nothing, so no experience has been awarded!
Of course. This was entirely one person’s achievement.
I dismissed the hologram window before me and watched Won Myung-hun extract his spear from the Green Wyvern’s corpse.
“As expected of the Guild Master!”
“Rankers really are on a different level. That aura was magnificent!”
“Ranker? That’s ancient history now.”
Won Myung-hun smirked at the cheers erupting from Star Guild members scattered throughout the area, then approached me.
“Did you see that?”
“Yes, I did.”
“First time seeing an aura directly?”
“That… yes, it was.”
“Haha, you look pretty shocked. Your words are even stumbling.”
Then a gruff voice suddenly cut in.
“How could they not be?”
It was Team Leader 1, the second-in-command of Star Guild and the main tank of today’s Raid Team.
The weasel-like man tapped my arm and grinned widely.
“When I first saw it, I was like, ‘What in the world is this?’ You know, there’s a reason they say you need to know how to use aura to be a true A-rank hunter.”
Won Myung-hun deliberately furrowed his brow.
“Stop the flattery, man. It’s embarrassing.”
“Come on, flattery? His skills are genuinely impressive. That’s not exaggeration, right, Jin Tae-kyung?”
“Well… yes.”
“See? I’m not the only one who thinks so.”
I licked my dry lips, unsure what to say. Fortunately, before the atmosphere grew awkward, Won Myung-hun spoke up.
“You’re good at everything else, but you flatter too much. Since you’re done here, have the team clean up. Check the equipment again too.”
“Understood, Guild Master! At your service!”
Team Leader 1 gave an exaggerated salute and turned away.
“That guy’s always like that. He’s got a light, careless personality—sends contracts wrong all the time…”
Won Myung-hun’s voice trailed off as he watched Team Leader 1’s retreating figure.
“But Tae-kyung.”
“Yes?”
“Are you okay? Your expression’s been off since earlier.”
“…It’s nothing. Just a bit surprised.”
“Is it because of the Wyvern? Well, since this is your first A-rank Gate, it’s only natural. You’ll get used to it soon.”
“…”
I swallowed the words rising in my throat. Now I understood the barber’s heart when he discovered the king’s donkey ears.
‘That’s not why I’m shocked.’
I looked at Won Myung-hun, trying not to show my confusion and frustration.
Tall frame, long limbs. An age approaching forty that seemed unbelievable.
But the real reason I admired him wasn’t his dazzling appearance or his hit songs that rolled off the tongue so smoothly.
‘An A-rank hunter, a master of the spear. And a ranker.’
From long ago, my idol wasn’t the star Won Myung-hun—it was the hunter Won Myung-hun.
I chose the spear when I started hunting because of him, and I read the spear technique manual he created during his ranker days until it fell apart.
But…
‘Why is he so weak!’
The reason I stayed still from beginning to end was simple.
I wanted to see Won Myung-hun’s combat with my own eyes.
But that turned out to be beyond imagination in a different way.
‘His movements are sluggish, he’s all show, and he doesn’t even know how to use aura properly.’
Watching him, I nearly had a stroke from frustration.
Was Won Myung-hun always this skilled? Or has he declined?
My head was full of questions, but if I had to sum up what I’m thinking in one sentence, it’s this.
‘What the hell is this.’
I feel wronged. There’s no real reason to feel wronged, but I’m incredibly frustrated!
It’s like booking a seven-star hotel’s course meal and getting steamed pollock fillet and beef bibimbap sauce instead.
‘This isn’t what I imagined. Really, it’s not.’
Won Myung-hun, unaware of my inner turmoil, still wore that leisurely, self-assured smile.
“By the way, where’s the necklace? I don’t see it.”
A necklace? Now of all times?
Overwhelmed by an inexplicable sense of emptiness, I answered carelessly.
“…I put it in my pants pocket.”
“Why?”
“Just because. It was cumbersome. But why do you ask?”
“Never mind. Just keep it safe.”
Won Myung-hun’s gaze flicked toward my lower half. Confirming the bulge in the pocket of my form-fitting leather pants, he added:
“You absolutely cannot lose it. Understood?”
“Yes.”
I cannot lose it. No—if I did, there would be no point in living anymore.
‘My possession is precious.’
How wonderful that the body in Murim and reality are one and the same.
As I recalled the black anaconda coiled inside my pants, my gloomy mood lifted slightly.
* * *
While the hunters dismantled the green wyvern and sorted through the situation, Won Myung-hun moved to a secluded spot with Team Leader 1.
“That necklace really works well.”
Team Leader 1 chuckled.
“It was difficult to obtain. Even magic detection can’t pick it up.”
“Yeah, you did well, but….”
Won Myung-hun suddenly furrowed his brow and continued.
“The effect is better than expected. We haven’t even left the jungle yet, and a wyvern’s already appeared.”
“Isn’t it just a coincidence? It’s not that rare an occurrence.”
“Eight years ago, that was a coincidence too.”
“…What can you do? A Gate is a place where you can’t predict even one step ahead.”
“That’s exactly why I hate Gates. With people, you can roughly figure out what they’re thinking, but this damn space—you can’t do that.”
Won Myung-hun, speaking in a low voice, glanced around.
Everywhere the eye landed was thick with grass, trees, and strange insects. He wanted nothing more than to return to the Building District as soon as possible.
“Let’s get started. We need a bigger, stronger one than a green wyvern to show up.”
“So the surviving witnesses will testify?”
“Smart bastard. Show you one thing and you understand ten.”
A smile played at the corners of Won Myung-hun’s mouth.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————